Zimbabwes state-owned railway operator has opened its network up to private players, including a unit of South Africas Grindrod, as it seeks to boost freight volumes that had collapsed after decades of underinvestment, an official said.
National Railways of Zimbabwe hauled 12 million tons of cargo annually at its 1990s peak, but now manages less than 3 million tons owing to a lack of locomotives and poor maintenance of its rail infrastructure.
The collapse also followed a sharp decline in agricultural and mineral output, triggered by the violent seizure of white-owned farms championed by Zimbabwes former leader Robert Mugabe in 2000.
However, mineral output is on the rebound, mainly driven by chrome and lithium demand from China.
Chinese companies such as Tsingshan Holdings, Sinosteel, Sinomine, Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt and Chengxin Lithium have in recent years established iron ore, steel, chrome and lithium operations in Zimbabwe.
